DUKE: Leading scorer Austin Rivers may be gone to the NBA, but Duke returns four of its five starters from its squad that averaged 77.3 points per game, but was unceremoniously bounced in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 64 by Lehigh. The key to this season's team will be senior forward Mason Plumlee, who chose not to enter the NBA Draft after a season in which he averaged nearly a double-double (11.1 PPG, 9.2 RPG). He is joined in the frontcourt by senior Ryan Kelly, who can stretch defenses as a long-range shooter (41% threes). The backcourt is led by senior Seth Curry, but with Rivers gone, he will return to his more natural position off the ball, where he thrives with a better than 40% three-point stroke in his Duke career. That will place a lot of pressure on sophomore Quinn Cook to run the point, after the Blue Devils ranked an abysmal 202nd in Division I with 12.4 assists per game last season. Freshman Rasheed Sulaimon joins the backcourt as a premier defender, while redshirt freshman Alex Murphy is expected to start from day one, giving head coach Mike Krzyzewski a vital 6-foot-8 swing player that the team lacked last season, when they often were forced into defensive mismatches with three-guard lineups.

FLORIDA ST: After a strong ACC showing last year (12-4 record), the Seminoles were bounced in the Round of 32 in the Big Dance. Although Leonard Hamilton's squad returns just one starter, it is the most important one'senior guard Michael Snaer (14.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG), who made 40% of his shots from deep. Ian Miller (10.3 PPG) joins him in the backcourt, where they will also receive help from freshman Montay Brandon, who at 6-foot-7 should be ready to contribute from day one. The question is if the return of Terrance Shannon, who played just seven games last season due to a shoulder injury, to the frontcourt can make up for the loss of bigs Bernard James and Xavier Gibson, who did all the dirty work for Hamilton last year.

Michael Snaer continues to knock down game-winning shots, and Duke is well-versed in what Florida State's top scorer can do down the stretch.

The fifth-ranked Blue Devils hope to avoid any heroics from Snaer when they visit the Seminoles on Saturday.

The last two home games for Florida State (12-8, 4-3 ACC) have been victories courtesy of Snaer, who banked in a 25-footer at the buzzer in a 60-57 win over Clemson last Thursday before stunning Maryland with a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left in Wednesday's 73-71 victory.

"I got a clean look tonight so I knew it was going in once it left my hand," Snaer said about his latest game-winner. "It just happened."

Florida State won two of three meetings last season against Duke (18-2, 5-2), with Snaer hitting a 3-pointer as time expired in a 76-73 victory in the first matchup that snapped the Blue Devils' 45-game home win streak.

Snaer, who also hit a game-winning 3 to beat Virginia Tech last Feb. 16, averaged 16.0 points on 52.5 percent shooting in 2011-12 against Duke.

"Snaer, I said last year was as tough a kid as there was in the conference and I still believe that," Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "He goes right after you."

Duke gained revenge for Snaer's shot with a 74-66 road victory last Feb. 23 before Florida State won 62-59 in the ACC tournament semifinals.

The Blue Devils can probably expect more than what Mason Plumlee gave them against the Seminoles last season when he totaled 15 points and 15 rebounds in the three games. Plumlee is second in the league in scoring at 18.1 points per game and first in rebounding with 11.1 per contest.

Plumlee was at his best with a career-high 32 points in Wednesday's 75-70 victory at Wake Forest. Seth Curry added 21 points as Duke won its second straight with its first road win in three tries.

Curry was also held in check by the Seminoles last season, averaging 10.7 points on 27.0 percent shooting.

Snaer led Florida State with 19 points against the Terrapins, Okaro White added 14 and Ian Miller netted 10 off the bench.

"I also think that you got our three veterans - Okaro White, Michael Snaer and Ian Miller - they really gave us major contributions and leadership," coach Leonard Hamilton said.

White and Miller have combined for only 47 points in seven games between the two against Duke, but Krzyzewski believes they form a formidable trio with Snaer.

"When those three guys are playing well or two of the three are scoring well, then their team takes on a different vibe," the Hall of Fame coach said. "They're tough everywhere but they're especially tough in Tallahassee."

The Blue Devils have won five of their last seven visits to Tallahassee, with the losses coming when they were ranked No. 1 and the wins coming when they were ranked lower.